Dozens dead after boat capsizes in Democratic Republic of Congo, say witnesses

People gather at the port of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ferry carrying hundreds capsized on arrival on Thursday (Moses Sawasawa/AP)

A boat carrying scores of passengers capsized on Lake Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday, killing at least 50 people, witnesses told The Associated Press.

It was not immediately clear exactly how many people were on board or how many died but witnesses said they saw rescue services recover at least 50 bodies from the water.

They said 10 people survived and were taken to a local hospital.

The boat sank while trying to dock just metres away from the port of Kituku, the witnesses said.

It was the latest deadly boat accident in the central African country, including one this summer when an overloaded boat sank near the capital and 80 passengers died.